ON THE BRIARS Registered for posting as a publication - Category B

Vol. 5, No. 6 THE EDITORS:

DECEMBER, 191'"

Peter Burt Terry Daly

>',o!<* MONSTER CHRISTMAS FOCUS *,!<*

EDITORIAL

David Lewi:;

Well, it's that time of year again. For some a time for glYmg gifts in fancy wrapping. Did you notice anything different about the wrapping for your FOCUS? I mean the envelope you just threw away. Have a look - 'Category B' and all that. What this means to you as a member is a substantial cost saving. Instead of costing you l8~ in postage for your FOCUS, it now only costs 9~. If you get six FOCI a year, this represents a saving of 54~ per year to you. This is about the cost of a schooner. Now, one extra beer a year isn't going to make much difference to you. However, those 468 beers saved could have a tremendous impact on your FOCUS editors. Think about that!

The Editor Dear Sir,

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

I was quite staggered by the outrageous suggestion put forward by Barry Larkin that my resignation should be tendered due to some obtuse event he refers to as tradition.

It is true that John Singleton is no longer a member and equally true that he was Managing Director of Doyle Dane Bernbach. But one departure does not establish a tradition. If I were to resign then there would be some substance in expecting that the next M. D. of DDB should follow suit. But what if he should not be a Club­member. He would have to complete two consecutive years sport to become a member before he could resign and if he was replaced an M. D. during that two years by yet another non-member ... well, I ask you ... no, I reject the suggestion and I trust the majority.

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or even minority of members will support my stand.

Dear Briars,

Yours faithfully, COLIN K. DENNIS

I have just received my copy of FOCUS. I noted with interest the letter from Peter Walker in Hong Kong and his invitation to Briars members to call in. The same invitation is extended by my­self from Perth.

I!m currently playing Rugby with Associates R. C. (Soaks). The standard is quite high (particularly for a player of my mature years) and the social life and camaraderie is what we all expect from Rugby Clubs everywhere. Regards to all,

BRUCE ROBINSON

THE FIFTY -NINTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:

Some of the office bearers elected were:

PRESIDENT: HON. EXEC.: ASSISTANT SECRETARY: TREASURER: HONORARY LICENSEE: SENIOR STEWARD: CRICKET CHAIRMAN: SQUASH C;HAIRMAN: FOOTBALL CHAIRMAN: HOCKEY CHAIRMAN: HOUSE CHAIRMAN: PERSONNEL CHAIRMAN: SOCIAL CHAIRMAN:

Colin Dennis Ian Blair C raig Hickey John C rockart Bruce Trevenar Ken Gray Kevin Holley Ray Pontifex John Boyle Bob Streeter Bruce Ferguson Greg McPhee Warren Bryan

Ian Richard replied to the President! s Report:

Home:

747 5724 848 0359

81 5059 888 2262 648 4111

521 2258 528 5664 798 4806 349 2842

76 7436 76 9977

789 6335

Business:

31 0399 848 0711 660 1266 290 2077 798 6954

61 6483

74 2665 660 1218

667 9432

The B·riars Club is progressing and growing . This is demonstra­ted by our growing assets, our ability to give more amenities to the members, greater financial support to the sports and our success in sponsoring junior teams. However, the objective of the club is the promotion of amateur sport, but the concept of amateurism has come under a lot of discussion lately. The definition of amateur sport has changed greatly over the years. In our constitution, we say we are promoting amateur sport, but probably we should be saying we are promoting an amateur way of promoting sport, but we are trying to do it professionally.

Let us consider some examples to demonstrate this changing attitude to amateurism . Consider athletics; a few years ago there was no professionalism in athletics, except for maybe the Stawell

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Gift. The amateurs had nothing to do with the professionals. Then slowly, Adidas shoes and brandnames on jackets crept in - a little bit of change. In tennis, we've seen the Davis Cup and Wimbledon go from completely amateur affairs to a stage where the profession. als came in, and got to such a strength that these Classics weren't the most important events they could play in. A change had pre­vailed. Ian related to us the story about his former headmaster admonishing a classmate that there was no future in a career as a professional tennis player. The bloke's name is John Newcombe. Things have changed!

The sport which has gone through this process of late is ob­viously cricket. Also, squash and hockey have varying degrees of amateurism and professionalism in them. However, lets hope therE­is always a place for the amateur.

The dividing line between amateurism and professionalism in Rugby maybe quite distinct in Australia, but in France, the Union players are paid more than the League players. Where is the line between amateurs and professionals? We can recognise the extrem.:!s - like the bloke who played a season in two left boots!

Amateurism is written into our Club's constitution - perhaps this is unique. Thus we could be looked upon as those who set the standard for amateurism.

The club offers its congratulations to the recipients of this year's awards:

J. H. Stone Trophy Cricket Memorial Trophy Gordon Bevan Shield A. J. Robinson Shield Doug Vanderfield Trophy R. D. Vanderfield Trophy

Greg McPhee Ian Blair Craig Hickey David J amieson Ken Kable G eoff Evendon

The President also moved for a vote of thanks for the retiring Director, Jack Balmforth. David Walker was elected to the Board.

** ** ** ** ** The Club's patron, Bob Clark, is returning home on the 20th December and is staying until March.

KITCHEN KORNER - A FOCUS FEATURE

Forty five completely satisfied members and wives enjoyed an immaculate 4 course meal at the club recently. Paul and Ken pre­pared a fine meal. The head w a iter, Mr. Steele, controlled his Franch waiter, Monsieur IILettre de Francais ll McPhee, quite well. However, the dirty Greek waiter, Filthy F ergie, thoroughly dis­gusted most guests. To find out more of what goes on at these

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eating extravaganzas, attend the up and coming 5th Annual Baked Dinner . (5th annual meaning it's the 5th one this year.)

** ** ** ** ** Noel Young's second son Geoff has joined the Briars. His eldest son David joined earlier this year - two down, one to go.

** ** ** ** ** SQUASH

** ** ** ** ** ** ** WE WON! ** ** ** ** ** ** ** After 17 years the club has finally won the Doug Vanderfield Trophy for winning the A 1 competition. Doug presented this trophy in 1960 to be awarded to this top side in A 1. That year Briars were runners up and since then until the last 2 years the club has not been strong enough to enter A side in that competition. A short summary of the results in the Spring Competition follows.

Four teams made the semi-finals and their positions were as {,)llows: tA 1 Minor Premiers

. A 3 Minor Premiers B 1 Minor Premiers B 1 3rd

A I: In the semi-finals Briars showed the opposition no mercy. 'Firstly Peter Gardiner winning 3. 0 to 4 points and Arthur Krallis .3.0 to 2 points, leaving next one Russell Butler to win 7 points which ;' e did to win this match. In the finals Arthur again performed to win 3.0 to 4 points; next Russell Butler was on against a player who had not been defeated throughout the competition. Russell played tremen­dous squash to defeat his opponent 3. 1 and put us in the box seat. l-.:rext Tony Pearon played but could not perform to his best going down 1.3 to a very difficult opponent. Ray Pontifex went on last, needing 4 points for this match. Ray finally won the match 3. 1 to give the Briars the A 1 pennant. Peter Gardiner was unfortunately rushed to hospital 2 days after the semi-finals with severe stomach problems and was unable to play in the finals. He has been released from hospital now and convalescing at home. All the Squash Club sends their best wishes for a speedy recovery Peter and hope to see you playing in 1978. A 3: This side who ended up 15 points clear of the second team looked certain winners. They won the semi-finals O. K . but in the finals it just wasn't to be. Ken Axtell who had an excellent comp. lost 2.3; Ken Kable evened things up to win 3 . 2; next Cliff Priest against a very good player lost 0.3. Then Cec Stevens, who unfort­un.ately i'1.jured his leg the previous week, had to win 3. 0 for a

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victory. After winning the first game he dropped the second which was the match. In the grand-finals the opposition played too well on the night . Ken Axtell lost 2.3 again, C ec Stevens, who had only been defeated once all comp. lost 3.0, and Cliff Priest in a really tough match lost 1.3 to give the opposition the match and pennant. Captain Ken Kable did not play as a decision had been reached. Bl: With 2 sides in B1 finishing 1st and 3rd Briars felt this had to be a certain pennant for us. However, again it was not to be. Both sides lost their semi-finals. Top side 0.3 and the second to the eventual winners by 1 game. The top side, as they were Mino]' Premiers, had another chance in the grand-finals. In the closest grand-final anyone could possibly have, Briars went down by !. pt. Firstly Ron Churcher lost 0.3, then Randel lost 1.3; Alan C amero"1. performed well to win 3. I, leaving Paul Porter the huge task of winning 3. 0 to 6 points. Paul started great, winning the first games 9. 3 and 9. 1 in the final game to decide the match needing a 9.2 to win; Paul kept up the pressure with a 7. 1 lead, but then a couple of difficult returns saw his opponent get the extra 3 point3 required.

Briars collected 3 pennants for 1977 with 4 sides being runners up and of the 4 teams 3 were Minor Premiers and 1 second after the rounds, which shows that it is not easy to win a squash pennant.

In 1978 we start at the new centre at Burwood with an extra court so anyone interested in playing for the Club please contact Ray Pontifex w. 74 2665 or be at the centre any Tuesday from 8 p.m.

Merry X-mas to all from the Squashies.

** ** ** ** ** THE ROSEBUDS - AN EXTENSION OF WOMEN'S NEW EGO INTO AMATEUR SPORT .....

After their glorious success last season, the Rosebuds have de­cided to continue their meteoric rise by entering two teams next season (as reported in the last FOCUS). Strained relations between husbands and wives, engaged couples and boyfriends and girlfriendfl have resulted from these ladies bragging about their sporting achievements and their males lack of •... . Bar talk is never easy when one of these steroid fed, aggressive, boasting sports­girls arrive and literally dominate the room with their constant cracks about Rugby, Cricket, Hockey and even Squash's failures. Conversations are interrupted and subjects changed as these winners (as they religiously refer to themselves) chatter for hours about some phase of a past game or who will coach next year, or what colour panties they should wear when they collect their next

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trophy. The present writer wishes to remain anonymous for the ob­v~ous reasons. Not only is it plain that he has been exposed to these ladies - no females' cruelty - but also his identity, if revealed, would mean more serious repercussions.

Quotes from well known, but disguised identities prove the seriousness of this problem: C. S. "If he played as well as me, his only win for the year wouldn't be by a stomach." L. B. "The L ...... S ... would make a ruck once in a while if he ran "is straight as I hit the ball to score goals." .T. G. "He l s taken up profes sional punting now. He can It bear to be :::ompared unfavourably to me." T.A. "If B •. ; of C ... P ... tackled as well as I do, he wouldn't be :;0 quiet after the game." L. W . "It looks like 1111 have to coach him in physical fitness, he always breaks down." R. R. "He follows me now and he even cooks the tea. II

SO, any male who wants to join the winners, please contact l:'r. Renee Richards of the California Tennis Club. Any wife or girlfriend who wants to have the upper hand and enjoy a good game .::;f hockey ring:

Linda "Basher" Barnwell Carol "Clobber" Smith Jenny "Captain" Guille

750 9010 798 5857 639 3047

;:Editor l s note: There is one sure fire way to stop others talking about the failures in the Men's sports.)

** ** ** ** ** As yet there has been no response to the request in the last issue of FOCUS for volunteers to help organise and run a club telephone committee. PLEASE HELP! If you can please notify a member on the management committee.

** ** ** ** ** The members extend their sympathy to Warren Partington and family on the passing of his father.

** ** ** ** ** PERSONNEL REPORT

The last new members evening was held in the Clubrooms on Thursday, 10th November. Fifteen new members were present and were officially introduced and welcomed to the Briars by the new members sub-committee. This committee basically consists of mana­gement members. Usually the Club President or his representative addresset. these new members and informs them of the Club l s history

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and objectives. The meeting is then opened for discussion and questions, after which a small supper is served. Of particular interest is the keenness of many of the young cricketers who atten·· ded the last meeting and the contribution of Ian Richard (filling in for President Col, who was in America) and Kevin Holley to a successful night. It is amazing how much more successful these meetings are when existing Briars attend and encourage these new members to value the Briars as much as we existing members do. I personally believe that it is only by each member accepting a responsibility to make newcomers welcome that we are going to continue to attract and retain the sportsmen we need to maintain and extend the B ria r s s po rting tr adi tion.

The next new members meeting will be held in the Clubroomll on Wednesday, 11th January, 1978 at 7.30 p.m. Please try to attend and help welcome some new Briars sportsmen. I guarantee you'll have quite an enjoyable evening and perhaps be reminded of the Club's history and achievements.

GREG McPHEE THE BRIARS - A SOCIAL MECCA?

The Happy Hour is booming. Many members are making this a regular stopover before heading out on a Friday night. Those who stay are entertained by a pianist. You can help to maintain this successful night by volunteering for bar duty. See you there with your favourite lady and all your friends.

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS WITH RUGBY - BUT WHAT'S WITH THE YEAR TO COME?

With the Rugby season now completed, it should be time to analyse "what was right and what was wrong" about the season.

However, to dwell on previous events will take away too much time from the planning which has already begun for the 1978 season. Many "rights and wrongs" have been learnt from last season. I can assure you that the learning has been incorporated into the 1978 season's planning.

We are pushing ahead with plans to have junior Rugby in the Club next season. We hope that it will build and maintain strength in Rugby. Juniors have certainly strengthened Hockey. Cricket has reaped the benefit by this year being able to field an extra team in the M and S competition. So Rugby must follow the precedent set by the other sports and continue the build-up of younger play­ers that began in the 1977 season.

So, as you can gather, I need to know the names of the people who are willing to help with the junior teams and make sure Briars' Rugby grows stronger. I am asking for this help per

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mediwn of Focus because all members receive a copy. There must be plenty of retired Briars Rugby players who could assist and en­joy an interest in our vital junior involvement. So please contact me if you are interested enough to help.

Already the committee for Rugby in 1978 is being formed under the guiding hand of John Boyle. The game begins at 6 p. m. on Wed­nesdays at Rothwell Park and goes for 1 hour with teams entered in a competition. So, if you want to win, you had better get your team of about eight players organised now so that your intricate tactics '; an be well drilled. How about a team from past players who would p.njoy getting a bit fitter and certainly enjoy a refreshment after the game? The intended tourists of the USA should be a team to contend with.

The results of last season certainly reflected in the upturn in the spirit and performance which was displayed by most players. Only one team, however, Judd Cup, reached the semi-finals. Burke Cup missed by only three points and Whiddon Cup by the same mar­~in. With a little more consistent effort and attendance from some players, both teams could have made a bold premiership showing. C'ur Club Championship points doubled over the previous year . If l.~p.ntwell Cup had managed to turn the tables on a few of the close ·.:.ecision games, our standing would have been substantially higher.

Finally my thanks to the Football Committee who worked very i.lard to organise the season. To our coaches, who always tried to .. ~et the most from their players and for spending many hours of ~heir private and business time sorting out problems. Also to the supporters and nwnerous people who helped the committee with their work. Most importantly, thanks to the players, without whom we would not have had such a season.

CRAIG HICKEY ** ** ** ** **

Changing your address? Please let someone on the Management Committee know.

** ** ** ** ** HAVE YOU BEEN SEEN AT THE CRICKET?

Spending a leisurely and entertaining afternoon at the crlcket at Rothwell Park on Saturday afternoon has become a favourite pastime of off-season footballers this swnmer.

If you fancy the idea, you can see your Club's cricketers at the following matches:

January 14th & 21st - A's vs Pennant Hills at Rothwell cr's vs Auburn/ Lidcombe at Mascot CIl's vs Wentworthville/Blacktown at

Hudson

- 9 -February 4th & 11th - Al S vs Lindfield at Rothwell

B 1 s vs Lindfield at Lindfield Oval February 18th & 25th - Al S vs Macquarie Uni at Macquarie Uni

B's vs Macquarie Uni at Rothwell Keep an eye out for the Double Wicket Competition in the

New Year. Ken Gray scored a double in a recent match. He scored his

first fifty runs for the club and took his first wicket for the club in the game against Lane Cove. It is rumoured that Briars foot­baller Darryl Collister was seen playing for Canterbury against

the A's recently. >l<>;< *>i< '1<'1< ':0:< *':'

SUPER SOCIALS

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23rd CHRISTMAS EVE DO.

$2.00 for supper and music. Buy your own drinks.

NEW YEAR'S EVE EXTRAVAGANZA -See Club noticeboard for details.

** ** ** ** ** RUGBY - AMERICAN STYLE

Heading for New York three weeks ago, I suddenly decided to toss in the Rugby gear in the hope that I might be able to organiSt! to referee a match while I was there.

Several 'phone calls to local officials hadn't given me much guidance as to how to go about it, but fortunately the President of our company in New York is an ex-Irish prop forward who had the necessary numbers.

After waiting a few days I was · finally contacted on a Friday with the choice of two games. One between New York Rugby Club and New Jersey, and the other between the New York Athletic Club and Princeton University. The first game was being played in Manhattan, and the second game out of town in Westchester County - which sounded like a nice idea - so I elected to do the latter game.

Pelham Manor in Westchester County is a 40 minute train ride from Grand Central Station. It was clear but very cold when Maclynn and I arrived at Pelham Station to be picked up by one of the Athletic Club guys at 11 a. m., for the B Grade game which was due to start at 11.30 a. m. I was a bit concerned about gett­ing to the ground with only 20 minutes to spare, but I was assured that they hadn't started a game on time all year and there was very little reason for them to start now.

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The New York Athletic Club's h eadquarters are in Manhattan r..~ar Central Park, but they have a magnificent Clubhouse situated on the Hudson River with their own rowing course, sailing course, and all afternoon the clay pidgeon shooters were banging away off the front of the Clubhouse whilst the three Rugby games took place on a well turfed, but uneven pitch.

After stripping, like all diligent referees, I ran the ground to check it out, and was surprised to find that each corner of the field intruded onto a gravel training track. Not just marginally, but quite a few square yards of each corner . This meant that anyone ~:lcoring a try, in the corner or any ruck or maul that might take :)lace there, ' was going to leave quite a bit of skin and hair left lying around., But after 20 years of Sub-district that wasn't much of ::I surprise. What was a surprise, however, was in the north-west corner (or was it the south-east corner ?) . Nicely positioned in in- goal, and about six yards from the sideline was a really nice big tree about the size of a Morton Bay fig tree down at the Domain that :-. ad been growing for a hundred years.

"What about the tree?" I asked. "Don't worry about thatll, they said. "We'll put a pad on it. 11

~v~hich they proceeded to do, and also informed me that local rules L alled for the ball to be declared dead if a player ran into the tree.

Eventually the game got underway - 40 minutes late. It turned c· ut to be a fairly torrid, if somewhat unscientific affair. They have ;1 distinct tendency to play the man. Their eagerness to get to the Lall carrier and prevent him from moving anywhere is no doubt a carryover from the way in which American Football is played. They are not skilled in kicking the ball on the move, and so the tendency is to runn and pass from just about all positions of the ground. Which might be fine if you're the Barbarians but tends to make for a very scrappy affair when the standard is about Whiddon Cup. This is compounded by the fact that they are good catchers of the ball, but awful passers. Scrummaging and lineout work wasn't bad at all . Both sides had half-backs who threw good clearing passes.

Some of the rituals were nice. As both teams assembled in a huddle before the game and went through a grid-iron type psych­session, culminating in a few wild rebel yells. This was repeated at the start of the second half. Shortly after the start I was confronted by two or three Princeton guys yelling excitedly "two minutes, sir; two minutes ref" . I was to discover that that's the way of saying: "there's a man hurt". I was very pleased to see that they treated the injured player by tipping cold water on him.

I copped the usual complaints that every ref gets. However, they were generally very pleased with the consistency of my rulings and I felt quite comfortable during the game. I was never in fear

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that they were suddenly going to revolt and throw me in the Hudson . - which they told me is sometimes the highlight of the afternoon's proceedings . The game finished with the New York Athletic Club running out comfortable winners by about 12 points.

If it had not been course Rugby up until then, it surely was from thereon in. The keg had arrived at the sideline and I was given a freezing cold beer . I talked to a few guys about the game for about five minutes, which was almost past the point of survival. as the wind had sprung up of the Hudson. It was bitterly cold and drove a lot of spectators back into their cars. I ran back to the dressing sheds - 5 minutes after all the players had showered, and 5 minutes afer the hot water had run out. I then returned to the sideline and drank freezing cold beer through the next two games, in the company of ten or twelve really good blokes, nicely turned out in fur lined jackets and gloves. Which was just a little bit more adequate for the conditions than my jumper and yachting jacket.

At last we retired to the Clubhouse where, in true Rugby fashion, we were designated a brick and tile room in the basement where a few plates of sandwiches and sausage rolls were consume,: in about 28 seconds flat - mainly by the Princeton guys. The beer was consumed at the normal frantic rate, and the consumption of grog only slowed when the songs started. We ploughed through mOf-t of the old favourites with a few local variations in words. The Princeton boys introduced me to a few new ones that would un­doubtedly be banned from sale in any Kings Cross sex shop. After that, it was a few cans of beer and a bottle of scotch and all into the Kombi van and back to New York City. I didn't really want to leave but we had a dinner engagement at 8. 00 p. m .

They had one other nice custom, that's somewhat indicative of the American's approach to life, and that was the order in which they played the games. I did the seconds, supposedly start­ing at 11.30 am. This was followed by the firsts, and then followed by the thirds. As best as I could work out, the psychology seems to be that second graders are reasonably keen, so they'll get therE: early, the firsts then get to play in the best part of the day. They are followed by the thirds, who get to play when its absolutely freezing bloody cold - which is a system that seems to have a nice touch of incentive built into it.

I had expected a very liberal sprinkling of other nations, but there was only a handful of people from the U. K . who played the three games. The great majori ty were American citizens who had come across the game in college and appreciated the unique spirit that is Rugby. Or otherwise guys in their mid-twenties who had picked the game up, having drifted out of American football at that

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stage of their lives . All told, it was a day to remember. And now I have Rugby

contacts in that part of the world. "THE SLEEPER"

** ** ** ** ** It has been brought to the attention of the Management

Committee that the Club's billiard table was recently used for ballgames other than snooker. ,;c,;c

JIELLO SAILOR DEPARTMENT The Briars Harbour Armada was presented for inspection in

510rious weather on Sunday, 4th December. The fleet was led by Rear-Admiral Beast into Taylor's Bay. The Rear-Admiral was followed in the rear by Coxswain E. J. The twenty or so able­bodied seapersons who reported for duty consisted of 15 or so Briars sportsmen with questionably able bodies and a half dozen or so bikini clad wives / girlfriends with very able bodies.

Highlights of the day were Bung demonstrating he could row .: dinghy as well as he bats - two or three strokes and he's sunk. Steeley cut his foot to attract a shark lunch, but only ended up 'Lttracting the attention of a couple of sympathetic women who band­ag~d him up'. Finally, did anyone really find out what Dave and Tracey actually did in the bush?

** ** ** ** ** C LASSIFIEDS:

BIRTHS: Bob Elliott, a son; Graham Trevenar, a son; Peter Young, a daughter; Bruce &: Beryl (mate) Hickey, a son, "Radar", nee C raig.

WANTED: 1 "KEEP URANIUM IN THE GROUND" badge, suitable for demonstrations. Find John Mortlock.

WANTED TO EXCHANGE:

1 wife, 2 kids and a mortgage for a Kentwell Cup berth (any club.), see Redback.

1 pair, good eyes; 1 pair, good legs in exchange for football boots. Apply P. Burt.

DESPERA TELY - 1 Lane Cove jersey, any condition, for 1 unmarked, unwashed, slightly used Briars '77 jersey. Contact D. Guille.

** ** ** ** ** Printed by: B. &:C. Mailing Service Pty. Ltd., Sydney - tel. 27 8715